Soap holder



May 19, 1942. .1. R. MATHIAS 2,233,875

SOAP HOLDER Filed April 8, 1941 Patented May 19, 1942 SOAP HOLDER John It. Mathias, Washington, D. 0.

Application April 8, 1941, Serial No. 387,501

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a valve stem operator designed primarily for use in connection with valve controlled water supply equipments in kitchens, bathrooms and shower baths, but more particularly to a combined soap holder and handle element for connection to a valve stem for shifting the latter in opposite directions for the purpose of opening and closing the valve of the equipment.

The invention aims to provide, in a manner as hereinafter referred to, a combined soap holder and handle element for the purpose referred to having means for supporting therein a cake of soap and means for fixedly securing it to a valve stem.

The invention further aims to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a shiftable valve stem operator having provisions for maintaining a cake of soap in convenient reach of a user when such operator is in its shifted or in its nonshifted position.

The invention further aims to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a shiftable valve stem operator having an inherent part thereof, a container for maintaining therein during the shifting thereof to and from operative position a removable cake of soap in convenient reach of the user.

The invention further aims to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a combined soap holder and handle element for the purpose referred to which is simple in its construction,

emcient for the purpose intended thereby, and

inexpensive to manufacture. Embodying the aims aforesaid and others which may hereinafter appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more speciflcally referred to and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein are shown embodiments of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the combined soap holder and-handle element in accordance with this invention showing the adaptation thereof with respect to the valve stem of a water supply structure,

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the elements shown in Figure l,

modified form of combined soap holder and handle element in accordance with this invention.

Withreference to Figure 1 of the drawing, the valve stem of a water supply structure is indicated at I0, and in Figure 3 at H. The combined soap holder and handle element shown by Figures 1 and ,2 is to be secured to and suspended at its upper end from the valve stem Ill, and such element is generally indicated at l2. The element [2 includes a compartment or chambered portion formed of a back wall I 3, a pair of opposed side walls l4, l5 of arcuate form, a bottom wall I6 and a pair of spaced parallel front wall sections l1, l8, which are integral with the walls l6, l5 and 16. Th side walls and the front wall sections are of less length'than and terminate below the upper end of the back wall Hi. The bottom wall l6 centrally of the front thereof is provided with a substantially semioval cutout l9 forming a clearance for a purpose to be referred to. The front wall sections l'l, I8 are disposed in such relation to provide a clear: ance 20 at the front of the compartment or chambered portion which forms an upstanding clearance forming an upward continuation of the front of the clearance IS.

The Walls l3, I6, l5 and i6 and wall sections l1, l8 correlate to form a container, a compartment or chamber 2| and it will be hereinafter referred to as a chamber. The latter is formed with an open top, an open front and an open bottom. The chamber 2! is for removably re- Figure 3 is a sectional detail of still another 5 ceiving and holding a cake of soap and the clearances I9, 20 form what may be termed a passage for the finger or thumb of the user when removing the cake of soap in an upward direction from the chamber 2|. The chamber 2| is of rectangular contour. in front elevation. The cutout H! at the bottom N5 of such chamber also constitutes a drainage opening. I

The wall l3 extends above the front and side walls of the container 2! and it merges centrally of its top edge into a vertically disposed shank 22. Formed integral with the rear face of the shank 22 and extending at right angles thereto is a socket forming member 23 having diametrically of its body a pair of aligned openings 24. The member 23 is mounted upon the stem l0 and it is also fixedly secured to such stem by the holdfast means 25. V

The compartment or chambered portion of the element l2 also constitutes a handle which is to be grasped by the user for the purpose of shifting the valve stem In in a direction to open the valve or in a direction to close the valve, and

the construction of such portion will support a cake of soap irrespective of what direction the element I2 is shifted. If element 12 is shifted to open the valve, then after it has performed such function the cake of soap can be readily removed from the element by the user. The construction of element I2 is such that it will always support the cake of soap until it is removed by the user. As shown by Figures 1 and 2, the element I2 is secured to-the stem I0, which is horizontally disposed.

With reference to Figure 3, it relates to a combined soap holder and handle element of that type including a shank 58 which is to extend from a chambered or. compartment portion of a combined soap holder and handle element. The shank 58 has a countersunk opening 59. Intew gral with the lower face of the shank 58 is a socket forming member 60, which is to seat on a shoulder Bl formed in proximity to one end of a valve stem N The latter has a reduced upper portion 62 formed with a threaded socket 63. The junction of the portion 62 with the portion 63 of the stem ll forms the shoulder 6i. The shank 58 is connected to the stem I I by a countersunk screw 64 seated'in the opening 59 and threadably engaging with the socket 63.

The container, compartment or chamber constitutes a soap receiver.

What I claim is: g

1. In a device of the class described a combined soap container and valve operating lever, comprising a one piece body having a back wall, side walls, a bottom wall, and a pair of front walls, said bottom wall having a cutout therein, said front walls being spaced apart laterally to form a passageway therebetween, said cutout in said bottom wall correlated with said passageway to form an open end for the latter, said back wall having a longitudinally extending shank, said shank having means for attaching said body to the valve stem, said open ended passageway providing a finger inserting space to allow access to the container for removal of any contents therefrom.

2. In a device of the class described a combined soap container and valve operating lever, comprising a one piece body h ving a back wall, side walls, a bottom wall, an a pair of front walls,

said bottom wall having a cutout therein, said a font walls being spaced apart laterally to form a passage way therebetween, said cutout in said bottom wall correlated with said passage way to form an open endfor the latter, said back wall having a longitudinally extending shank, a socket forming member for receiving a valve stem carrled by and disposed at right angles to the shank, and means for securing said valve stem in said socket, said open ended passage way providing a finger inserting space to allow access to the container for removal of any contents therefrom.

3. In a device of the class described a combined soap container and valve operating lever, comprising a one piece body having a back wall, side walls, a bottom wall, and a pair of front walls, said bottom wall having a cutout thereon, said front walls being spaced apart laterally to form a passage way therebetween, said cutout in said bottom wall correlated with said passage way toform an open end for the latter, said back wall having a longitudinally extending shank, said shank being substantially narrower than said rear wall, a socket forming member for receiving a valve stem carried by said shank adjacent the upper extremity thereof on the rear face of said shank, and means for securing said valve stem in said socket, said open ended passage way providing a finger inserting space to allow access to the container for removal of any contents therefrom. I

JOHN R. MATHIAS. 

